OOPS-- I shouldn't post when it's late-- WE ARE REBUILDING our patio COVERING-- ie PERGOLA

Here is a link that might be useful: A similar type of Pergola

Finally, the rest of our home has white paint trim. The current patio wood covering has a solid roof and we're changing it to allow more sunlight into our den.
Off to bed now-- to refresh my overtaxed brain...LOL!

Goodness Ellen, looks like we are all in patio reno mode! See Lars' post in the Gallery.

See the link I posted to the concrete site - huge photo gallery. From what I understand, the stain is more durable because you are staining a layer of the concrete. Paint is less durable because it is on the surface and will eventually peel. The stain, after many years, may fade, at which time you can easily re-stain.

I don't have personal experience with it yet though. My neighbor and many others have stained their driveways and those look fine. If you start looking in your neighborhood at driveways you may see all manner of concrete staining and/or stamping.

Are you asking about concrete stain or wood stain?
If you are asking about a solid stain for wood - I have used Olympic Solid Color Stains (for decks, fences, siding) with excellent results. It hides the woodgrain, allowing the texture to show thru (taken off the brochure). We added to the existing deck that runs across the back of our house, removed a screen porch, changed the railing - added additional support, etc - on a budget. The previous owners had never cleaned or stained the wood. We tried to use a transparent stain, but it showed all the different new & old woods. The Solid stain covered it all, made it look the same, fresh, and clean. That has been about 8 years ago. I power wash lightly to keep it clean, and reapply the solid stain as needed mostly to the floor (about every 2 years), where furniture scrapes across it - snow shovels, etc. It takes alot of abuse.
We used the Cape Cod Gray. While we are in the Northeast, we do live on the water, and the wind and salt and tree sap is a factor.

Thanks Gina & Mag! What I was attempting to say is the stain is for the wood members used to build the patio cover. I doubt we'll be staining the concrete pad, but ya never know. Lars' looks terrific and if it all works out we might want to follow suit.
Meanwhile the contractor changed his mind and decided on paint for the timbers. Demo is happening yesterday and today, it's noisy out there!